Just another day at the office
by Leigh59
Summary: My take on Requiem. A one shot.


**I guess it's my turn for a Requiem one shot. My many thanks to WmGeorge for her never ending work in making my drabbles enjoyable.**

Tony watched as Tim and Ziva drove away. The evidence had been gathered, the photos taken, and the sketches finished. Only then did he release them to follow Ducky to the hospital. He knew Ziva and McGee accepted his reasoning - the scene had to be processed before they could go. Besides, Gibbs would head slap them into next year if they broke protocol just to follow him to the hospital. Palmer had left thirty minutes earlier with the two men Tony had killed. That was one less thing Tony had to worry about.

Alone on the pier, he allowed himself to take a deep breath, shaky as it was. He still had a long night ahead of him, but taking care of himself had to come first right now. With that in mind, he headed home.

After a shower and a change into warm clothing, he called the pharmacy and left his apartment. Brad and his pharmacist made sure to keep prescriptions on file for Tony, just in case something like tonight happened. He knew he'd be taking the meds whether he liked it or not. He didn't dawdle after leaving the pharmacy, but he did make a stop for some coffee and food.

Slipping into his seat he started on the paperwork that needed to be completed. He worked for an hour before he called the hospital. It wasn't that he didn't care because he did, very much so. But the various reports had to be written while everything was still fresh in his mind. He would rather not face the wrath of Gibbs for slacking off. He made arrangements with the motor pool for the car to be pulled from the water. That report was added to his paperwork as well.

He gave a half smile when Jimmy came up to the bullpen with a preliminary autopsy report. Thanking his friend, Tony slipped it onto the growing pile on his desk.

He knew Gibbs was a pain in the rear at times, but he never thought the man would place an innocent person's life in danger during one of his lone wolf missions. If anyone needed a head slap it was Gibbs. The man just didn't think, or maybe he thought with his heart and not his brain. Tony snorted. Then again, maybe the gunny's butt was doing his thinking for him.

He turned his gaze to the bullpen's large window where he could see the sun beginning to rise on a new day. He hoped it meant a fresh start. He could certainly use one. Thanks to Ducky's updates, he knew that both Gibbs and Maddie would be released in a few hours.

He put the report on Gibbs' desk and left. He had an old friend who needed to hear about what had happened.

Tony walked into the bullpen a little later than usual. He didn't say anything as he placed a cup of coffee on each teammate's desk.

Ziva scowled at him. "You were not at the hospital last night, yet you are late this morning. What has kept you so busy?"

"Yeah Tony, couldn't you be bothered to come and check on Gibbs at all?" Tim's voice reflected the sneer that was on his face.

"Good report, DiNozzo." Gibbs followed Tony's lead and ignored the junior members of the team.

"Just waiting on Ducky's to finish it, Boss."

"What report?" Ziva and Tim spoke at the same time.

"The report he filled out on the shooting, along with all the other paperwork for what happened yesterday. He did his job as I expected him to. And he still managed to call the hospital to get hourly updates from Ducky."

Tony sat down. He knew McGee and Ziva were expecting him to boast about the part he played in last night's events. Instead he grabbed a cold case file.

"DiNozzo, what did Dr. Pitt say?"

He should have realized Gibbs would know why he was late. After a lifetime of taking care of himself and having no one else to rely on, it still came as a shock that Gibbs did care, at least sometimes.

"Take the meds, watch for fever and a heavy feeling in my chest. Over the counter pain meds for sore muscles. You know - same old, same old."

That was as close to a thank you as he was going to get from Gibbs, and they both knew it. It would have been nice to hear it though. Three little words. Thank you, Tony. He knew Gibbs trusted him to always have his six, and that the former Marine figured that was thanks enough. Still, given what happened, those three little words would have been a good ending to a bad day. Might even have been some sort of validation for all the years he'd covered the man's back.

This time, no one had died. Or at least, no one had stayed dead. But it had been too damn close, and Tony figured they were very lucky. Ah, well.  
Just another day at the office.


End file.
